Owls ready to take fireworks show on road to Tulsa

Rice gets offense right just in timeOwls hoping another outburst in store for Tulsa

MOISEKAPENDA BOWER, Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

Published
5:30 am CDT, Monday, September 29, 2008

With Rice and North Texas in the process of producing a combined 712 yards of offense in the first half late Saturday afternoon, Rice sports information director Chuck Pool delivered the requisite one-liner regarding the impromptu track meet unfolding before the 16,885 dazed fans on hand at Rice Stadium.

If the offensive explosion yielded by Rice and North Texas was akin to a 400-meter relay, one should expect nothing short of the Daytona 500 when the Owls match yards and points with Tulsa on Saturday.

Given the output of both offenses and the deficiencies of both defenses, plus the trends established in the recent history of the series, those looking to wager on the 14th meeting between Rice (3-2, 2-0 Conference USA) and Tulsa (4-0, 1-0) would be wise to take the over no matter how bloated the figure. While the Golden Hurricane paces the nation in total offense (600.8 yards/game) and scoring (54.8 points/game), the Owls were in desperate need of the video-game numbers they posted in their 77-20 drubbing of North Texas.

“It was good to get it going, and it’s something we need to keep building on,” said Owls quarterback Chase Clement, who totaled 367 yards and seven touchdowns against North Texas. “Going into Tulsa next week, it’s going to be a tough game. (This performance) is something we need to carry over and realize that we’ve got something special going. Let’s step on the gas even more.”

The Owls appeared to be occasionally running on fumes in losses at No. 19 Vanderbilt and No. 5 Texas, petering out in the second half after manufacturing stout yardage totals in the first half of both games.

But the Commodores and Longhorns featured sturdy defenses, and once the Owls took the field against a suspect defensive unit, their offensive might became apparent. While Tulsa is unbeaten and stands as the favorite to win the West Division of C-USA, its defense has proven susceptible on numerous occasions.

Rice rolled into Tulsa two seasons ago and escaped with a 41-38 double-overtime victory. Last season the Owls fell to the Golden Hurricane 48-43 in the season finale, but they riddled Tulsa for 700 total yards.

It’s been more of the same for the Golden Hurricane this season. Tulsa opened last weekend 88th in total defense despite beating three teams that were a combined 2-9, then proceeded to surrender 435 yards to Central Arkansas, a Football Championship Subdivision program, in a 62-34 win at Chapman Stadium.

Given the immediate obstacle that stood between them and Tulsa, the Owls did their best to handle North Texas while also striving to develop the rhythm they would need to outscore the potent Golden Hurricane.

“We had to do what we had to do this week and carry it over to the next,” Owls tailback C.J. Ugokwe said. “That’s where our mindset was at.”

Of course, Tulsa is probably licking its chops over the opportunity to turn its outstanding offense loose against the Owls’ injury-depleted defense. After some harrowing moments early against the Mean Green, the Owls righted the ship and held North Texas scoreless over the closing 14 possessions. But it would be outlandish to expect a defense that was gashed by Memphis, Vanderbilt and Texas in successive contests to shackle the nation’s most prolific offense. Facing that reality, Rice coach David Bailiff opted to look ahead, not behind.

“It’s all about the next one,” Bailiff said. “And the next one is Tulsa.”